At 5’1”, I’m a pretty short woman. This means that most adult sleeping bags – even the ones made for women – are too large for me. Luckily, there are a few brands which now make sleeping bags for short women. There are also some kids sleeping bags which will work for petite women too. Here are the best options.
Comparison Table
| Name | Comfort | Limit Comfort | Fits up to | Shoulder Width | Weight | Stuff size | Fill | Buy At |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marmot Trestles Elite Eco 30 | N/G | 30F | 60" | 26" | 38oz | 7x17" | Synthetic | Campsaver |
| REI Kindercone | N/G | 25F | 60" | 25" | 51oz | 12x16" | Synthetic | REI |
| Kelty Mistral | N/G | 20F | 60" | 28" | 42.4oz | 10x17" | Synthetic | Amazon, Campsaver |
| Big Agnes Wolverine | N/G | 15F | 60" | 27" | 38oz | 8x10" | Synthetic | Amazon, Campsaver |
| Coleman Mummy Youth | N/G | 30F | 60" | 26" | 48oz | 10x17" | Synthetic | Amazon |
| North Face Eco Youth | N/G | 20F | 60" | 26.5" | 48oz | 9x16" | Synthetic | Amazon |
| Big Agnes Sidewinder SL (Petite) 35 | N/G | 35F | 65" | 28" | 33oz | 5.5x6.5" | Down | Amazon |
| Big Agnes Sidewinder SL (Petite) 20 | N/G | 20F | 65" | 28" | 39oz | 8x17.5" | Down | Amazon, REI |
| Big Agnes Elsie 15 Petite | N/G | 15F | 65" | 27" | 43oz | 8.5x9" | Synthetic | Amazon |
| Big Agnes Duster | N/G | 15F | 66" | 31" | 46oz | 10x11" | Synthetic | Amazon |
| Marmot Teton 15 | 15F | 0F | 66" | 29" | 58oz | 8.3x17.7 | Down | REI |
| Nemo Disco 15 | 17F | 5F | 66" | 31" | 49oz | 8.5x12.5 | Down | Amazon |
| Therm-a-Rest Questar Small | 32F | 20F | 66" | 28" | 30oz | 7.5x9" | Down | Amazon, REI |
Size Matters!
Using a too-large sleeping bag is bad for a couple reasons. First off, a sleeping bag which is too big for you won’t be as warm because of all the empty space in it. You’d need to buy a sleeping bag rated for colder temps – such as a 20F bag instead of a 30F. Guess what? Warmer bags are more expensive!
Secondly, if the bag is too big, it means you are packing more than you need to. I mostly go wild camping and backpacking, so every gram matters! By switching to a short sleeping bag which actually fits me, I can cut weight from my pack.
Can Short Women Use a Kids Sleeping Bag
If you are really short, then using a kids sleeping bag is one option. Just note that:
- Kids bags are narrower: If you are a curvier or plus-sized short woman, than this won’t be a good option.
- Sizes often run small: Just because the sleeping bag says that it fits up to 5 feet, it doesn’t always mean it will. If you are near the size limit, it’s probably better to get a slightly larger bag.
- Only the lower–limit rating is given: With good adult sleeping bags, you’ll get the lower limit and the comfort With kids bags, they usually only tell you the lower limit. The comfort rating is usually 10-15F higher than this, but it’s still guesswork.
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